Thamizh Talkies: A heroic transformation

In our country, we get disclaimers before a film screening to tell you of the dangers of drinking and smoking. We see a (rather graphic) awareness film on the after-effects of tobacco use and how one should avoid it. And yet, tobacco sales increase year on year, and TASMAC wine shops don’t seem in danger of shutting down! There is the constant murmur that the youth get corrupted when a hero drinks or smokes on screen and how cinema influences impressionable minds and how much more responsible film stars should be in the content they put out and what they represent and so on. Here’s something else that I think can be shown ahead of a film, something real, something drawn from life and that is all grit and heart. I’m talking about the transformation video of STR (who celebrated his birthday last week). If that video doesn’t influence everyone to go out there and spend time swimming or sweat it out in the sun and be consistent about it, nothing else will. Look at the man’s journey. He has gone beyond stardom or image pitfalls and put out his flaws, his pain, and his path to positivity and disciplined efforts towards good health. Are these not good qualities with which to influence the Tamil youth?

The video did something to me. It made me take up badminton racquets and leave my couch and get into the gym. It made me push myself beyond procrastination and get my muscles to feel the pain of work. We have all sorts of reasons to stay at home, the most relevant among them being the pandemic, and we watch all sorts of content on gadgets of all sizes. Make the time to see STR’s rise. The snippet of his ‘self-talk’ which appears in this video will resonate with those who engage in a path to not just physical transformation after a rough phase in life, but also an inner shift in how to find answers within. Maanaadu’s success is proof of what awaits when such a transformation is complete.

You could whine about his privileged background and how he can afford such training sessions and nuanced physical fitness help etc. Tell me then—how many rich people put their money to good use that enables them to have the courage to show you their ungainly weight, and as an extension, their flaws, and vulnerabilities? Excuses and memes are easy to come by. What’s hard is physically doing what the mind knows it should do, in order to transform one’s life. What STR has displayed is the real deal—like a real hero. A hero is not just someone who will beat up ten men and save a woman. A hero is also someone who knows to save himself first and therefore, be an example for others. Today, STR can deliver a TED talk on the topic of transformation because he’s been there, done that, and shown us how it is done. A star who was once criticized for his indulgent ways should now be hailed for an altered life. That he has a lineup of good films is also a great sign.

There are a few stars in today’s generation who don’t follow social norms. When they err, the fall is too hard. But when they rise, the heights they touch will be higher. A young boy or girl who follows STR can be proud today of his milestone. Along with his efforts towards getting fitter, his video also tells us one thing. Good things take time. Life is not a film for the rise to happen over a snap of a song. The youth of today can certainly take more than one lesson from STR in this regard.